The Miami football program is on the rise and Florida State had their worst record since the Seminoles collapsed at the end of the Bobby Bowden era. The Hurricanes 2018 season put them back in the national spotlight.
Among the Miami football team’s accomplishments in 2017 was their first outright ACC Coastal Division title, their first berth in the ACC Championship game and ending a seven-game losing streak to the Seminoles.
Florida State limped to a 7-6 record in 2017. The Seminoles needed a victory over a 4-8 Louisiana-Monroe team who hasn’t had a winning record since 2012 in their last regular season game to qualify for a bowl game.
Florida State had canceled the game against the Warhawks then rescheduled it after they needed one more victory to become bowl eligible. Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M before the Seminoles played ULM in the season finale.
Defensive line Coach Odell Haggins coached Florida State to victories over Louisiana-Monroe in the final regular season game and over Southern Mississippi in the Independence Bowl last season.
Much of the Florida State fanbase has been in denial over the Seminoles collapse last season. One FSU blog has gone as far as stating that the only two teams with a realistic chance at winning the ACC this season are Clemson and wait for it…Florida State.
The FSU blogger apparently missed Miami football team’s berth in the 2017 ACC title game. Florida State fans will point to the Hurricanes 38-3 loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship game last season.
The Hurricanes were clearly outclassed and not at definitely not at the same level as the Tigers. They were, however, missing their top three offensive players heading into the 2017 season.
Running back Mark Walton was lost for the season after the fourth game in the victory over the Seminoles. Tight end Chris Herndon IV suffered a season-ending injury in the final regular season game against Pittsburgh. Wide receiver Ahmmon Richards was lost for the year during the week of preparations for Clemson.